County Board representatives from Sauk Prairie split vote on 3.41 percent tax hike; budget passes
By Tim Damos, Capital Newspapers
BARABOO -- Attempts by several Sauk County supervisors to prevent a property tax hike were unsuccessful Tuesday night.
Following an hour-and-a-half debate, the Sauk County Board voted 20-9 to approve a 2010 budget that increases the county's tax levy by 3.41 percent from 2009.
Property owners will be taxed at a rate of $4.34 per $1,000 of equalized value, an increase of 16 cents from 2009's rate.
"I'm outraged," said freshman supervisor Fred Halfen of Prairie du Sac during a phone interview Wednesday. "People are being taxed out of their homes."
Halfen was one of nine county board members who supported a budget amendment that would have frozen the tax levy at 2009 levels by taking the proposed tax increase, nearly $1 million, from the county's rainy-day fund.
The fund has accumulated about $18 million over the years, allowing the county to secure a high credit rating.
Supervisors in favor of the amendment — proposed by Baraboo supervisor Scott Alexander — said local taxpayers need relief in desperate economic times. Those opposed said using the rainy-day account to fund ongoing operations would be a temporary fix leading the county down a path toward financial doom.
"I know very well that it is tough out there for an awful lot of people and I would like very much to be able to come in with a zero increase," Baraboo supervisor Joan Fordham, a finance committee member, said during Tuesday's debate. "But the county is not run the same way my home funds are run. We have unions that have a legal right to negotiate wage increases, so we cannot tell all of our union employees they get a zero increase."
Sauk County Controller Kerry Beghin cautioned supervisors that the county has a policy of not using the rainy-day account to fund ongoing operations — although it can be used for one-time expenses.
"When your family is in dire straits, you go to your savings account," said Prairie du Sac supervisor Rob Sinklair, who supported the amendment.
Board member Bill Wenzel, also of Prairie du Sac, pointed out that the roughly $1 million property tax increase would only cost the average homeowner about $27 next year.
Some supervisors said the county's 3.41 percent increase is minimal compared to the increases of other local governments, such as the Sauk Prairie School District, which will take 15.46 percent more from district taxpayers next year. The Baraboo School Board recently voted to raise its levy by 8 percent.
Halfen said the fact that other local governments are increasing taxes by a greater percentage does not justify the county's 3.41 percent hike.
The amendment failed on a 20-9 vote, with two supervisors who were excused from the meeting not voting. Another proposal to freeze the levy by instituting an across-the-board 3.41 percent cut on all departments was voted down.
The 2010 budget proposal passed on a 20-9 vote.
The 227-page document accounts for $79.5 million that county government plans to spend next year.
Local property taxpayers will contribute $28.66 million to that amount. Other major funding sources include: Grants/aids, $18.2 million; Fees, $8.6 million; Service charges to other governments, $7.9 million; Sales tax, $6.6 million; Use of rainy-day fund, $4.1 million; and Transfers from other funds, $2.7 million.
Officials have discussed shrinking the county's workforce through attrition and scaling back services as long-term strategies for dealing with declining federal and state aid.
In a report to the county board, Sauk County Administrative Coordinator Kathy Schauf said property taxes have had to make up for declining grants and aids in recent years, and she expects that trend to continue.
"You're seeing a shift in the way that the programs the county provides are funded," Schauf said.
Budget documents show grants and aids have decreased from $22.45 million in 2005 to an estimated $18.17 million in 2010. Local property taxpayers kicked in $23 million in 2005 and will contribute $28.66 million in 2010.
The county currently employs the equivalent of 653 full-time staff, according to budget documents. And the 2010 spending plan anticipates the elimination of about six positions.
Spending on wages, salaries and benefits is expected to be about $42 million in 2010, roughly half of all expenses.
No one spoke during a public hearing held prior to debate on the 2010 budget.
How They Voted on the Budget
Yes votes (20)
Scott Alexander, Judy Ashford, Steven Bach, Linda Borleske, Tommy Lee Bychinski, Arthur Carlson, Al Dippel, Joan Fordham, Virgil Hartje, Marcy Huffaker, Tim Meister, Charles Montgomery, Henry Netzinger, Shawn Posewitz, Donna Stehling, Peter Tollaksen, William Wenzel, Lester Wiese, Paul Endres, Marty Krueger
No Votes (9)
Joel Gaalswyk, Frederick Halfen, Lowell Haugen, Thomas Kriegl, Gerald Lehman, Robert Sinklair, Donald Stevens, Judith Stoeckmann, Katherine Zowin
* Supervisors Robert Cassity and Larry Volz were excused from the meeting.
Sauk County Budget: By the Numbers
Sauk County taxpayers will contribute $28.66 million to the county's $79.54 million 2010 budget. Here's how your property taxes are being spent.
$12.13 million for justice and public safety
$11.90 million for health and human services
$3.73 million for public works
$1.26 million for education
$738,067 for conservation
$463,612 for capital outlay
$250,000 for debt service
$158,142 for recreation
$123,447 for development
$63,557 for culture
($2.17 million) for general government
* The general government figure accounts for revenues not associated with other government functions, such as $6.5 million in sales tax collections. This forces general government to have a net reduction on the property tax levy.
SOURCE: Sauk County Accounting Department